More Than Just Dreams
by Mage-Alia
Summary: Tidus was a talented Blitzball player, and an equally talented Summoner. But when war stole away his family, he gave up his future to protect the past. Now, he's back to find out what happened to make it all go so wrong.
1. The Summoners of Zanarkand

Final Fantasy X / X2

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than an empty Ramen Cup and a rapidly disappearing pile of Pocky boxes. The games belong to Squaresoft and the only reason I'm not screaming about it is because they do a hell of a job at making them.

* * *

More Than Just Dreams

By Mage-Alia

Prelude: The Summoners of Zanarkand

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Summary: Tidus was a talented Blitzball player and an equally talented Summoner, trained from an early age to fight in future wars, but in the same war that killed his family and friends he gave up his future to preserve the past. Now, awakened from the dreaming and untainted by the corruption of Yevon, he's setting out on his own pilgrimage to find out what went so wrong all those years ago…

AU, No Tidus pairing, Wakka/Lulu, Lenne/Shuyin

* * *

"Hey! Hey! Wait for me!" The longhaired woman half turned when she heard the voice of a young boy behind her. The little brunette child trotted the rest of the way between them and nearly bent double panting as he skidded to a stop at her side.

"You're going to wear yourself out and fall asleep in classes again if you do that." The woman pointed out, clutching a data pad to her side. "You know what Master Yu gets like when he catches you sleeping." The boy pouted as he straightened out and frowned.

"If I don't push myself I'll never be a good Blitz baller and I'll never beat _him_." Looking down at the youngest Summoner in the senior class Lenne shook her head in exasperation. It was amazing how someone as young as seven could carry so much loathing toward his parents. Everyone knew his story. He was the son of one of the greatest Blitzer's Zanarkand had ever seen and ever since he'd been cast into his father's shadow he'd been fighting to free himself from it, hating the man who had only recently vanished from the face of the earth while training off the coast. Shortly after the event he'd been picked up by the temple scouts for showing a sheer amount of talent in the art of Summoning, just like her.

"You won't be able to push yourself if you're serving in the Temple as punishment." Lenne pointed out, taking his hand as she deftly navigated the halls. Tidus let himself be dragged and eventually began to chatter on to her about his recent news. It was another sad fact of his sorry tale that his mother no longer paid him any attention. She'd all but died after Jecht's disappearance and those who knew the bright child had been left to pick up the pieces of his shattered life for him. Slowly… very slowly, he was recovering his childish exuberance.

"Hey! We're here!" Tidus let out a yell, earning a glare from a passing priest as he slipped from Lenne's grasp to push open the large stone door.

Well, at least he tried.

"You'll need to be stronger if you want to go around opening all the doors by yourself, Short Stack." At the mocking endearment Tidus puffed up in an offended manner that indicated another outburst as an arm came out of nowhere and deftly pushed the panels wide open. Lenne had to smile as the owner of the arm stepped past her and grinned in return.

"I'm Shuyin." The temple guard introduced himself. "It's unusual to see such a pretty girl in this Temple, usually there's just these stuffy old men." He must have been taken on in the holidays, not to know of the Summoners and their classes.

"Whoa!" Tidus was utterly awed by the large blade hanging from the blonde's waist. Shuyin looked down and blinked, having been so intent on flirting he'd forgotten about him.

"Your little brother?" He asked casually, gesturing down to the staring child. Lenne couldn't help the little blush that sprang up as she shook her head.

"Oh… No, but with the time we spend together, he could be." Shuyin gave her another grin that would have turned most girls into a puddle of goo at the sight.

"Speaking of time, didn't you have somewhere to be?" He pointed out and the girl's eyes widened in panic.

"OH NO!" Before the guard could even blink she'd turned around and scooped up Tidus by the waist before dashing through the doorway and down the hall, slipping into the classroom just before the door slammed shut behind them, signaling that Master Yu was just starting the lesson. He gave them a cool look as they found their seats and listened to the lecture on white magic, Tidus already beginning to drift off slightly in is seat next to Master Yu's daughter, Yunalesca.

…It was just another day, in the life of a Summoner of Zanarkand.

* * *

"It's happening! It's really happening! Bevelle declared war!" As the shout echoed through the small apartment Tidus watched as his big sister stiffened, she'd been getting a glass of water, but now the glass was shattered along the floor.

"Bevelle declared war?" She asked slowly, as if she hadn't really understood the words, just heard them. Shuyin nodded as he stepped further into the apartment, one hand dropping to ruffle the now blonde eight year olds hair. Tidus quickly looked to the side and saw Yunalesca gaping in a very unladylike manner that would have earned her a smack from her trainers if she where anywhere else. Yunalesca was of the upper class in Zanarkand, so to speak. Her father being a powerful Summoner and a trainer her family gained a few special privileges. Normally, she wouldn't even be able to associate with anyone like Lenne or himself, but their status as Summoners and Lenne's own rising fame as a singer, allowed her to bend the rules somewhat.

The silver haired girl put her head down just as Lenne looked back over to them.

"Yeah, and I just came from the Temple. All Summoners from the age eleven and up must report to Master Yu for their assignments." Shuyin's voice was strained and his eyes never left Lenne's as he spoke. "Lenne, I don't want you to go…" He trailed off, his eyes now pleading with her as she moved to grab her coat.

"I…" She tried to speak, but ended up trailing off. "Shuyin… a summons is a summons. I need to find master Yu." Shuyin's face clouded with emotion as he fought with himself.

"If you join the war you'll be killed!" He finally burst out but Lenne continued to beg off.

"No Shuyin, I can't. I need to go. If I don't go Master Yu was surely call for them..." She jerked her head once toward the two stunned children. "…In my place and I can't let that happen either. I must go." Coat in hand she swept past him and out into the hall. Shuyin stood frozen for a moment before he turned on his heel and went after her, leaving Tidus and Yunalesca to wonder what they'd do…

* * *

Rain thundered down around them, the raging storm their last futile protection against the invading spirans. They would only have so much time before the machina wielders forced their way across the mountains. Tidus flicked his sopping wet hair out of his face and yelled across the line of magic users.

"READY! **FLOAT**!!" The howling winds picked up as an enormous crest was heaved off the ground and with great difficulty, maneuvered into place and secured on the mountain side. Stumbling on the wet stone Tidus slid toward a tall figure mostly obscured by rain.

"MASTER YU!" The man turned. He had been Tidus's teacher for years, ever since it had been discovered he was a Summoner. He'd also been the one to tell him nine years ago that Lenne had been killed defending Zanarkand, as well as Shuyin, who had stayed with her until the very end. The elder had been kind to him and adopted him in the wake of their demise. Yunalesca had been delighted by the fact he was now her real brother in all but blood.

"ARE THE SEALS PREPARED?" Master Yu Yevon called back to him and he signaled the affirmative. "THEN GET EVERYONE TO THEIR POSITIONS!" Tidus nodded and scrambled back the way he'd come to where the Surviving Summoners where all lining up against the walls. With them where hundreds of people from all walks of life, including slum dwellers to the upper class, they where all there.

"GET READY!" He yelled and they stood to attention, steadfastly ignoring the icy Gagazet Rain. Their plan, was one of desperation. They where going to perform the spell that would make them all into Fayth and then use the people and their memories to make a replication of their beloved city, a way to preserve their way of life even if they lost the original, an eternal shrine…

The second half of the Summoning ritual would summon a great amour that would protect the Summoner of their dream. Master Yu had been given the responsibility and would be nigh unstoppable once it was complete. After that, he'd make the long awaited retaliation on the fools in Bevelle that had pushed them this far into desperation. Seeing the people lined up he went to the final cluster by the path that lead away from the slowly filling crater of Gagazet's Summit. It consisted of a number of great solemn beasts. They had been born and raised on the mountain, evolving into warriors that where among the last defenses of Zanarkand. The Ronso watched him approach with blank expressions and he skidded to a stop in a puddle.

"IT'S NEARLY TIME! MOVE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AND GUARD IT FROM THE MAINLAND SIDE! YOU DON'T TO BE HERE WHEN THE SUMMONING HAPPENS!" They stared at him for the longest time and Tidus feared they wouldn't go, but then the leader nodded and turned, waving his spear at the others to make them backtrack down the mountain. With that last end tied up Tidus rushed to take his place amid the Summoners who where performing the translation to the Fayth. As soon as it was done, he and most of the other Summoners would be petrified against the mountain to protect them until the day came that they were finally needed again.

Hands clasped before his chest he closed his eyes and began to chant the words to focus his power and as it mixed with the energy of the others he let it free. Magic whipped around them and the people sacrificing their dreams where hurled against the stone. Piling on each other they where knocked out and lost the life that made them human, their souls free to mingle with each other but none could move on to a new life, their essence sealed. He opened his eyes and moved toward the now softly glowing remains of his people to examine the seals that held them there.

"To think that this will be the last we see of each other." As the rain lulled to a fine mist Yunalesca approached. Tidus let his hand fall from the wall and he turned to look at his sister.

"Don't worry, Yuna… There's always the dream." The silver haired young woman gave him a sad smile.

"Yes, there is…" Then on a whim, she drew him into a hug. Public displays of affection weren't usually well liked by the upper classes and if the situation where normal, they'd get into difficulties, but these weren't normal times and it wasn't like there was anyone around to tell them off anyway. Tidus gently pushed Yuna away and looked her in the eyes.

"Just remember, Yuna, I'll always be here. If you ever need me never hesitate to call me back, don't end up like _them_." Yuna knew who he was talking about and her eyes clouded with tears at the sad memories, but she managed a smile anyway.

"I won't brother, I promise." Tidus gave her a smile and one last hug before Yunalesca's fiancé, Zaon, approached them.

"It's time." The blonde nodded and didn't take his eyes off them as he leaned back against the Summoning wall.

"I'll see ya." He caught one last goodbye before the petrify spell took hold of his limbs and sealed him outside of time.

Then…

He dreamed…

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A/N: Whoa, just to tell you now, this will take a looooong time before I can continue it… well, I've still got Dark Summoner to finish first so I'll write the rest of this alongside the sequal, okies? Maybe in the mean time, you guys could give me some input as to how the story should go, but whatever you might say, I'm sticking by the pairings in the Summary so for now, Tidus is goin' stag, m'kay?

Don't forget to review!

Cya


	2. To Gaze into the Mirror

Final Fantasy X / X2

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than an empty Ramen Cup and a rapidly disappearing pile of Pocky boxes. The games belong to Squaresoft and the only reason I'm not screaming about it is because they do a hell of a job at making them.

* * *

More Than Just Dreams

By Mage-Alia

Chapter 1: To Gaze into the Mirror.

* * *

Summary: Tidus was a talented Blitzball player and an equally talented Summoner, trained from an early age to fight in future wars, but in the same war that killed his family and friends he gave up his future to preserve the past. Now, awakened from the dreaming and untainted by the corruption of Yevon, he's setting out on his own pilgrimage to find out what went so wrong all those years ago…

AU, No Tidus pairing, Wakka/Lulu, Lenne/Shuyin

* * *

Bright piercing sunlight was visible, even through his closed eyelids.

Tidus dragged his heavy limbs upright and cracked an eyelid before quickly shutting it again and putting a hand over his eyes. His mind was fuzzy, almost as if he'd drunk himself into a stupor as a headache blossomed behind his eyes. He was wet, and cold and the sun that had awoken him was rapidly being consumed by the clouds as they rushed to fill the break in the storm that seemed to be going on everywhere else. The first droplets of rain fell on him as the world darkened and he was left sitting there, trying to remember what he had been doing and why he'd ended up here.

Without the sun to cause difficulties he could finally see, but what he saw was nothing but gray water and rubble. For a moment he was afraid.

'_Not Zanarkand, please, not Zanarkand!'_ In spite of his splitting headache he hauled himself further up into his rock perch above the waterline and looked over at the ruins that where spread out before him.

'_Not Zanarkand… good.'_ He was somewhat relieved to realize it wasn't his home, but even as that sank in he got the feeling that he wasn't even supposed to be here. Head hurting, and his teeth chattering with cold, he slid off the rock and into the salty ocean water, beginning to make his way toward the only semblance of shelter in the area. Further into the ruins was what might have been an old hall. He took the stairs from the water and had only just begun to cross a high arch of stone when he heard a shout behind him.

"HEY! WAIT!" He froze, but didn't turn as he felt a chill of recognition. The voice sounded familiar in a way that made him want to just keep going and not turn around, but it wasn't something he could help as someone dragged themselves out of the water and onto the mossy stone.

"Hey, man, can you tell me where we are?" A hand fell on his shoulder and Tidus slowly turned, looking up to see wide blue eyes staring back at him, confirming what he'd thought originally and sending his mind into shock.

He was looking at himself.

"Woah!" The other Tidus reeled, stumbling back a few steps as he let go of his shoulder, clearly recognizing him too. Watching the other, Tidus could see the differences between them. While they both had blonde hair and blue eyes, Tidus the Summoner's hair was longer and barely groomed as a result of wartime, while the newcomer had short feathered hair that was obviously styled for looks. He had the physique of a Blitzball player, but none of the signs of being a Summoner. Where he had a Staff, the other had a blade, where one's clothes where dark, the other's where light, they where at odds in appearance even though they could have been twins.

"Who….who are you!?" The Blitzballer all but yelled, his eyes wide in shock. The Summoner pulled his arms closer to his body still trying to stave off the cold as he stared right back.

"I should be asking you that." His teeth chattering slightly as it began to rain, reminding him of the day on the Summit of Mount Gagazet where he'd said goodbye to the last of his family and his people. The other opened his mouth, his brow furrowed, but nothing came out as the Summoner broke into his train of thought before it could be voiced.

"The weather may not bother you, but it bother's me." He said, his tone holding an equal chill. "Arguments can wait." The Blitzer's mouth shut with a snap, still off balance to question himself before the Summoner turned and continued tracking over the bridge, but he'd only taken a few steps when the stone beneath their feet creaked ominously and the Summoner half turned to see his counterpart staring back in something like fear as the bridge crumbled beneath them.

Plunging back into the icy water the Summoner struggled to surface and managed to take in a lungful of air before he sank back under. He'd just spent god knows how long under petrifaction and it had left him feeling stiff and sore upon waking, like the stone hadn't quite crumbled to dust and still stuck to his skin, weighing his body down. Muscle atrophy had set in after a while and using the muscle groups that where required for staying under water for extended periods of time hurt, but it wasn't an impossible task, just difficult.

The other Tidus, of course, swam like a fish beneath him as he got into a skirmish with a bunch of the native fauna. Brightly colored fish the size of a human circled them, occasionally darting in to take a bite but backing away again at the sting of the Blitzballer's blade. Any that managed to get through his defense where hit hard with his staff, sending them flipping off into the water before there was a rumble that vibrated the water around them, making a shiver crawl down their spines.

Something else was down here with them.

Suddenly a massive fish roared out of a hole in the floor of the sunken temple and went to devour the monsters that floated dead in the water. The Summoner cursed diving deeper to get the Blitzer before pulling him away as fast as he could. Finally understanding the danger the healthier of the two swam ahead and dragged him through a window high off the ocean floor just as the beast turned toward them and smashed the gap from behind. Rocks and unstable columns fell, blocking the way backwards and leaving them with only one way left to go.

The Summoner grumbled and jerked away from his twin as he tried to sort out his limbs.

He felt horribly weak.

"What was that thing?!" The Blitzer asked aloud, a slightly hysterical tinge to his voice.

"A Fiend, a monster, a giant fucking fish! Take your pick!" The staff wielder bit out angrily as he stumbled up the stairs, shivering with cold and upset with himself. Put off balance by the cursing mirror of himself The Blitzer stared in shock and confusion before he realized he was being left behind and scrambled after him, catching up just as the other pushed open a door leading into a large empty hall.

At its center was a pile of unlit logs, ready to make a campfire but little else.

The Blitzer shivered and went scrambling around the room for something that would light the fire, grumbling to himself as The Summoner sat down by the logs and stretched out a hand, the bangle on his wrist glinting faintly as a spark leapt from his palm and set the pile blazing just as his twin returned from his scavenging. For a moment the teen looked ticked off, before he threw a bundle of withered flowers into the fire and hunkered down opposite him.

The silence continued, unbroken but for the sounds of the storm until the uncomfortable Blitzer finally got fed up with the tension surrounding the both of them.

"So… what can I call you anyway?" He asked. The Summoner's eye glazed over as he thought hard and eventually he sighed.

"Shuyin. You can call me Shuyin." The other blonde perked up a little.

"Cool, you know, for a moment I thought that you where going to say that your name was Tidus too! We do kinda look alike after all, I wonder why that is?" Tidus was oblivious to Shuyin's cringing form.

"Whatever the reason, we're both stuck here." Shuyin's voice seemed to impress reality on his twin and he stopped the near bouncing as he recalled the past twenty-four hours. Blue eyes darkened as Tidus stared into the fire and the staff wielder took the opportunity to think as well.

Last he remembered… he'd been looking into Yuna's face as he was petrified. He didn't remember dreaming, only the endless power that moved through him to sustain the summons, until he'd been ripped away, waking up on that rock. Across from him, was the face that he'd imagined the crowds seeing before the war. His dream, long before being discovered as a Summoner, had been to play Blitzball. To outstrip the legend that was his father and gain the glory and the fame that came with being the very best. He had immaculate, magically dyed hair, a body perfect for the sport and the cheerful oblivious face of a Teen Idol that everyone knew and loved…

But how, had this dream come to life? He was simply too perfect an Image to have been from his war torn reality.

His hands moved subconsciously to his shoulder, sliding under the collar of his tattered robes to finger the star shaped scar of a bullet wound that lay there. It was a trophy, earned from the first battle he'd participated in. Yuna had been held back on the line by their commanders, but they'd had no qualms about sending the eleven year old Tidus into the thick of the fighting on the borders of Macalania. Summoners were the heavy artillery. They did the most damage in open combat with Zanarkand soldiers protecting them while they where vulnerable. Tidus had been in that vulnerable state when a small team of gunmen from Bevelle had broken through the lines and gone right for the Summoner in order to break the siege.

He'd taken a bullet to the shoulder before the soldiers overpowered the enemy and forced them back.

Thought's returning to the present he looked over the fire and noticed that his counterpart had drifted off. Slumping over and curling on his side, soft snores escaping his mouth with every other breath. Unbidden, the newly renamed Shuyin smiled.

To fall asleep anywhere… it was a talent he could only dream of.

* * *

Over the course of the night Tidus dreamed restlessly. Shuyin knew because he'd stayed awake watching as the fire began to dwindle down to nothing. There was no other wood here and nothing else dry enough to burn, so keeping the dying embers of the fire alight would have been an exercise in futility. Sighing to himself, he got to his feet pacing around the ring of stone, and it was about then that he noticed something he hadn't seen before while the light was there.

On the other side of the room, was a glowing door.

Shuyin looked back at his counterpart briefly and finally decided to leave him be before he crossed the room on his own. The door looked out of place in the ruins. Shiny and new, it hadn't been there for long, but longer than the campfire at least. It was ajar and it didn't take more than a soft push to send it flying open on well oiled hinges. The door caught on it's joint and bounced silently, but stopped to give him a view of the room beyond.

It was a shrine.

All along the walls, there where statues, three on each side and six in all. They glowed with their own light and offerings, stale old and withered stood on small pedestal's before them. Blue eyes wondered up the hall, examining each in turn and noting the ornate script he had difficulty reading on each one before his eyes came to rest on a door, and he felt the shock of recognition.

It was an abandoned Temple to the Fayth.

Before they'd found a way to move them to Zanarkand, the Fayth Summoners used had been stored in temples throughout the world. Summoners could travel to each one, performing in their trials to enter the Fayth's final resting place, free to come and go as they pleased gaining power along the way, but with the settlement of Zanarkand the first Summoners had decided to protect their dear Fayth from being used against them that they'd move them to the city, where Summoners could come and learn to study them without having to travel to the back end of nowhere.

They'd lost many Fayth in the attacks on Zanarkand, and Shuyin had no doubt that the Spiran's had probably stolen them too after their final struggle had been wrought. He approached the door, and the sensors in the walls activated, raising the shield like door into the ceiling high enough for him to step through and through he went. Only a little surprised to see the glowing amber orb that was set into the floor.

He'd barely had the time to kneel before it and incant the spell to summon the Fayth into his presence when the ghost of the Fayth blossomed into being.

"_You are not my son. Where is my son? I gave my life for him, but he does not visit… never once but to call on my Aeon._" She spoke to the room, and not necessarily Shuyin, but the summoner bowed his head respectfully.

"I know not the fate of your son, but I would ask of you your help and guidance in my future."

They were old words of ritual, taught to all Summoners. One of the first things they learned when the topic of Summoning came up in lessons. The bond between Summoner and Aeon was to be symbiotic. One had the raw power and the other had the ability to give the power a physical form. They simply couldn't function on the physical plane without each other, so the Fayth had to Like, or at least respect the Summoner who was granted the ability to summon them.

The Fayth looked at him for the first time. Really Looked at him.

"_Would you discover his fate?_" she asked, oddly focused. He figured the woman couldn't have been a Fayth for long as he nodded.

"I know not these lands, nor how long the passage of time since your sacrifice, but if it is within my power to discover what became of him I shall do so. There are many questions… and so many answers to be sought."

Her head tilted to one side, her brown eyes softening with warmth.

"_Ahhh…. I know you now Dreamer…_" She seemed to stare a bit harder then she stopped and corrected herself. _"… no, you're not the dreamer. You're much more than that._" The Fayth raised her hands and held them out before her. "_I will assist your quest for answers Summoner._" She intoned. "_My name is Anima, the One Bound by Eternal Punishment and Pain. Call on me when you have need, and I will aid you against those who stand in the way of our Answers._"

The air grew thick and heavy as the acceptance washed over him and Shuyin gasped faintly as her form broke apart, the Pyreflies that created her image darting through the air between them. His hand went to his chest, holding it like his heart was going to spill out onto the floor it was pounding so hard with the influx of raw magic.

This Aeon was so different from those of Zanarkand. His first Aeon had been much older, much more powerful and far more in control of it's power. But Anima, she hit him like a freight train. Pouring her power and form into his mind without barriers or restraint. He was dizzy as he climbed to his feet a few minutes later and stumbled to the Shield Door. He stopped just outside of it to catch his breath barely registering the noise from the hall where he'd left Tidus as the world began to level itself out again. Crossing the final chamber he slipped out through the gap in the door and was met with an unpleasant surprise.

Held at gunpoint by a group of people wearing re-breathers and body suits, was his double and beside him on the floor was the corpse of a massive bug like creature that looked to be recently deceased.

Shuyin groaned as their attention was suddenly turned to him and they looked back and forth between them until they shouted something in another language that was an obvious threat.

The Summoner sighed.

It was just like his double… to be getting into trouble.

* * *

A/N: *Mage Grins*

I bet you weren't expecting that little gem of a plot twist. So instead of just one Tidus running around Spira, there will be two! Just so you know, this story is most certainly not gonna have any main stream Romance… any sort of relationships are already established by the games, or will be a glorified foot note. So those of you who don't like my stories that usually turn out as Slash can breathe easy knowing that this will be one of the few that isn't… mind you that doesn't completely rule out akward moments revolving around Tidus and Tidus. My imagination is going nuts with the possibilities.

*Mad giggling starts in the background*

Don't forget to Review!

Cya


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